Chair arm table



A. G. DEARING CHAIR ARM TABLE Dec. 23, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed June 2, 1958 A. G. DEARING CHAIR ARM TABLE Dec. 23, 1958 Filed June 2, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 [Wren roe 4/ flzvaze'sa/v 6. .DE/fBl/V By M Q m Arraewey United States Patent Ofiice 2,355,432 Patented Dec. 23, 195% CHAIR ARM TABLE Anderson G. Dearing, New Albany, Ind.

Application June 2, 1958, Serial N 0. 739,014

4 Claims. (Cl. 155-128) This invention relates to a table or what may be termed a tray which is detachably mounted on an arm of a chair, the chair having either a single or a double tubular arm structure, or even having a wooden arm.

A primary purpose of the invention is to provide a table which may be quickly positioned on the chair arm and as quickly removed, all in the absence of having to employ tools, and in the absence of having to apply screws or bolts or other direct attaching means to the arm itself.

A still further important object of the invention is to provide a structure of the nature indicated which will be exceedingly strong and not displaced under normal usage so that the table will be firmly held in its horizc-ntally disposed position over the chair arm, ready to receive and hold objects thereon without danger of the table revolving about the arm.

These and many other objects and advantages of the invention including the simplicity of construction as well as its lightness in weight and good appearance, will become apparent to those versed in the art in the following description of one particular form of the invention as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation of the invention and in partial section, applied to a chair tubular arm;

Fig. 2 is a view in front elevation and partial section;

Fig. 3 is a view in vertical section on the line 33 in Fig.2.

Fig. 4 is a view in front elevation of the invention as applied to a single tubular arm; and

Fig. 5 is aview in bottom plan of the table.

A table top 10 is provided preferably with an upturned ledge 11 bounding its outer side and front and back end portions. A flange 12 is downturned from the inner edge portion 13 of the table 10, substantially at right angles thereto, the major fore and aft length of the flange 12 having its under edge 14 tapered from a low point 15 upwardly and forwardly to a zone 16 from which the edge 14 is curved around downwardly to a lowermost edge portion 17. From this edge 17, the flange 12 is carried around and upwardly by the front edge portion 18 to merge into the edge 13.

A base plate 19 has a planar area from a fore and aft edge of which there is a downturned flange 20 extending the full length thereof, and conforming in dimensions and contour to the flange 12. Preferably the plate 19 is provided with front and rear downturned lips 21 and 22. This plate 19 normally bears against the under side of the table 10. The flange 20 is turned downwardly to be in substantial parallelism with the flange 12. A pair of bolts 23 and 24 extend through the flanges 12 and 20, to carry each respectively springs 25 and 26 hearing between the flange 20 and wing nuts 27 and 28 on the respective bolts 23 and 24, the springs 25 and 26 normally urging the flange 20 toward the flange 12, the pressure of such urging being controlled by the positiming of the nuts 27 and 28 on the respective bolts,

The bolt 23 is located in the upper forward portion of each of the flanges 12 and 20, spaced rearwardly somewhat from the edges 18 of the flanges and carries between the two flanges a rubber block 29 having an upper side 30 bearing against the under side of the table 10, and a rear upwardly sloping side 31. When the table 10 is to be mounted on a chair arm having two tubular members 33 and 34, Fig. 2, two such blocks 29 are employed to increase the spacing between the flanges 12 and 20, and also to provide bearings upon each of the tubes 33 and 34.

The other bolt 24 is spaced below and somewhat forwardly of the bolt 23, see Figs. 2-4. This lower bolt 24 carries a rubber sleeve 35 between the two flanges 12 and 20, particularly where but one tubular member 33 appears as the arm. Where there are two tubular members 33 and 34 constituting the arm, then a compression spring 36 also surrounds the bolt 24 to bear between the sleeve 35 and the flange 12.

A third bolt 37 passes through the two flanges 12 and employed for a two tube arm so that there will be a.

block 40 for each tube. The block 40 has an under flat face 41, from which face the block preferably slopes upwardly by the face 42.

Operation Assuming that the arm which may be generally designated by the numeral 45 whether consisting of one tube or two tubes, has the shape as indicated in Figs. 1 and 3, the table 10 will be applied thereto by adjusting the wing nuts 27 and 28 to compress the springs 25 and 26 to that degree where the flanges 12 and 20 may be brought over the tube 33 to straddle it and have the lower front edges 17 brought down along the inclined front portion 46 of the tube 33. The flanges are so positioned relative to the portion 46 and the generally horizontally disposed portion 47 that the sleeve 35 will be compressibly against the front side of the portion 46, and the inclined face 31 of the block 29 will bear upon the forward side of the juncture of the portion 46 with the horizontal portion 47 of the tube 33 as indicated in Fig. 3. The flanges 12 and 20 are rocked around downwardly so that this contact of the face 31 with the tube 33 is had when the face 41 of the block 40 is brought down to rest on the horizontal length of the tube 33, Fig. 1. That is all that is required to mount the table 10 on the arm 45. It is to be noted that the flanges 12 and 20 by their forward depending end portions terminating in the edges 17 pass downwardly over the sides of the inclined tube portion 46 sufficiently to prevent revolving of the top 10 about the horizontal length 47, and lateral displacement horizontally across the tube 33 at the rear end of the table 19 is prevented also by the rear end portions of the two flanges 12 and i 20 passing respectively down over the outer and inner sides of the tube 33. All that is necessary to remove the table 10 is to pull on the two lips 21 and 22 so as to further compress the springs 25 and 26, whereupon the table 10 may be simply lifted from the: arm 45.

When the arm 45 has two tubes, tubes 33, 34, Fig. 2, then the two sets of blocks 29 at the front end and 40 at the rear end are employed, and the spring 36 is in- Serted between the flange 12 and the sleeve 35, and the sarm is followed as above tendency of revolving the table it) about the arm, or

tendency to displace it in any manner whatsoever.

The lower bolt '24, it is to be noted, is employed primarily to prevent spreading apart of the lower front end portions of the flanges 12 and '20, and also to carr the sleeve 3'5 which serves as an additional stop bearing against the inelined tube portion 46, the three rubber members, block 29, block 40, and sleeve 35 aiding in giving a. cushioned spacing between the table it) and the arm 45 and at the same time setting up quite a bit of frictional resistance to displacement.

, Therefore while I'have shown and described my invention in the one particular form in minute detail, it is obvious that structural changes may be employed such as substituting any durable resilient material for the rubber blocks, all without departing from the spirit of the invention, and I therefore do not desire to be limited to that precise form beyond the limitations which may be irn'posedb the following claims.

'I claim:

1. A table detachably applied to a chair arm having a substantially horizontally disposed length, and a for ward downturn portion, comprising a table; a flange downwardly extending from the table along the inner side of the arm and, by a portion at least, along said arm downtu'rn'ed portion; a plate in contact with the under side of said table; a flange downwardly extending 4 from a side of the plate spaced from said table flange and extending along the outer side of said arm and, by a portion at least, along the outer side of said arm downturncd portion; a bolt extending between the upper forward portions of said flanges; a resilient, friction surface block carried by said bolt between said flanges and having an under face inclined downwardly and outwardly to bear downward-1y and rearwardly against said arm; a second bolt extending between said flanges below and forwardly of said first bolt; a resilient member carried by the second bolt and bearing against said arm downturned portion; a third bolt extending between said flanges at rear portions thereof; a resilient, friction surface block carried by said third bolt resting on said arm; and means yieldingly retaining said flanges in compressive engagement with the sides of said arm.

2. The structure of claim 1 in which there is a second resilient member carried by said second bolt bearing against said table downturned flange.

:3. The structure of claim in which said plate slidably shifts under said table with movement of said plate flange.

4. The structure of claim 1 in which said retaining means comprises extensions 'of said bolts beyond one of said flanges; nuts on said extensions; springs on said extensions bearing between said one flange and said nuts; and said blocks limiting travel of said flange toward the other under urge of said springs.

jett et al June 3, 1 941 Choate Sept. 1, 1953 

